A new rumor teases that Marvel Studios is looking to "streamline" some of the legacy X-Men actors of the past into the MCU for future appearances.
Thanks to a jam-packed slate of new entries coming in the MCU's Multiverse Saga, along with some legal intricacies, fans are likely a few years out from seeing Marvel Studios' take on the mutants hit the big screen. But in the next few years, the seeds will start to be sown as a couple of important mutant actors from Fox's X-Men universe make the transition to Disney.
2024's Deadpool 3 is set to star Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman - both of which made their debut in the Fox X-Men franchise - with the latter providing possibly his last performance as Wolverine. Meanwhile, a rumor has also pointed to even bigger plans for the past X-Men stars in 2026's Avengers: Secret Wars.
And while that movie will give some of those actors one final chance at glory with an appearance in the MCU, a new rumor indicates that there may be plans for their Marvel Studios tenures to be more than just a one-time occurrence.
X-Men Actors Transitioning Into the MCU?
The Heavy Spoilers YouTube channel reported on a rumor that suggests what Marvel Studios is planning for some of the X-Men actors from 20th Century Fox's X-Men universe.
This report follows up on a previous rumor that indicated Marvel Studios wants to bring back as many past actors from old Marvel movies as they can for Avengers: Secret Wars to take on Kang the Conqueror together:
"That’s more what they’re aiming for with [Avengers: Secret Wars' climax], every franchise on screen at the same time, all alongside each other, ready to duke it out with Kang."
It's now rumored that, after Secret Wars, the studio plans "to sign new contracts with some of the stars" to bring their characters into "one streamlined universe," which also happened in Marvel Comics after its own "Secret Wars" event. The biggest name to change universes in that story was Miles Morales, and this appears to be the plan for a few former X-Men stars after Avengers 6 hits theaters:
"Now, I did get told that the plan from then on was to sign new contracts with some of the stars and bring them into one streamlined universe. The comics did this too, and when Marvel had lots of different universes existing alongside each other, they did the big Secret Wars event and brought across the favorites into one universe. Miles Morales was originally in the Ultimate Universe, but after the mega event, he was pulled into the main one, where he’s been ever since. This is the plan with Secret Wars too, and it’s gonna allow for some of the X-Men and so on to be brought across. Now, because of this being streamlined, I’m guessing Avengers: Secret Wars ends a way that we’ve already been told."
While the channel noted to take this information "with a pinch of salt," as the story details are still being ironed out, this is seen as "a rough idea" of what Marvel wants to do with the MCU following everything that happens in Phase 6.
Who Will Reprise X-Men Roles in the MCU?
Even with the MCU's core X-Men team still being years away from debuting on the big screen, this news could indicate the faith that Marvel has in some of the actors that already have experience in Marvel movies.
While Hugh Jackman is almost certainly in for two more appearances at most, Ryan Reynolds is the only actor confirmed to reprise his role for the long haul after Deadpool 3 hits theaters. But considering how big a role the X-Men will play in the MCU's future for Phase 7 and beyond, it's no surprise that past stars have been asked a number of times whether they would consider coming back for more.
Professor X star James McAvoy recently admitted that he couldn't definitively comment on a comeback when rumors of him appearing in Avengers 6 hit the internet, and fans have praised his efforts alongside Magneto star Michael Fassbender in the 2010s X-Men movies. Numerous other stars like Beast actors Kelsey Grammar and Nicholas Hoult have offered their own thoughts on making a comeback over the past few years, with responses ranging from incredibly enthusiastic about returning to definitively finished with their roles.
Unfortunately, even with Patrick Stewart's 2022 return as Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness already part of the MCU, there is no way to predict when the X-Men will be cast or who might actually play their old roles again. But with the MCU headed for even more Multiversal madness in the next two Avengers movies and Deadpool 3 taking the first big step for mutants in the MCU in 2024, the topic will remain prevalent until more official news comes forward.
